1999 Lotus Elise vs. 1974 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1999 Lotus Elise is newer by 25 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1974 Mercury Cougar. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1974 Mercury Cougar would be higher. At 5,764 cc (8 cylinders), 1974 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1974 Mercury Cougar (152 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 34 more horse power than 1999 Lotus Elise. (118 HP @ 5500 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1974 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1999 Lotus Elise. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1974 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 1322 kg more than 1999 Lotus Elise. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1974 Mercury Cougar (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 212 more torque (in Nm) than 1999 Lotus Elise. (165 Nm @ 3000 RPM). This means 1974 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1999 Lotus Elise.
Compare all specifications:
| 1999 Lotus Elise | 1974 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Lotus | Mercury |
| Model | Elise | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1999 | 1974 |
| Body Type | Roadster | Coupe |
| Engine Position | Middle | Front |
| Engine Size | 1796 cc | 5764 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 118 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 5500 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 165 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 3000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 2 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 708 kg | 2030 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3730 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1710 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1210 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2310 mm | 2910 mm |
